Dustin Pedroia will miss the start of the 2018 season after having surgery Wednesday to repair a nagging issue with his left knee.

The Red Sox said their second baseman "underwent a successful cartilage restoration procedure" in New York and is expected to return to games in about seven months. That timetable would see him back in Boston's lineup in late May or early June, depending on the nature of his rehab assignment.

Pedroia, 34, had two stints on the disabled list in 2017 with knee inflammation. He had surgery last October to repair a torn meniscus in the same knee, then reinjured it in an April 21 collision with Manny Machado. The former AL MVP and Rookie of the Year ended up playing in only 105 games this season, and his .760 OPS was his second-worst since becoming a full-time major leaguer in 2007.

Pedroia is signed through 2021 and is set to make $16 million next season.